


A Conversation On Emotions

by hissesssss



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety, Don't worry, Gen, I know what you're thinking, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Logan and Roman, Ot's mostly platonic moxiety but you can read it romantically as well, a bit of cursing, but this is mostly fluff, mentions of fire, slight mentions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 22:42:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15399147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hissesssss/pseuds/hissesssss
Summary: After Virgil accidentally causes something to go wrong, Patton seeks Virgil out and they both learn a few things about each other.





	A Conversation On Emotions

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya. This is based on a prompt I received from @britbrodcast on Tumblr. So thank you to them for that wonderful prompt. Without further ado, enjoy!

   

Irritation. That’s all he felt. The blanket beneath him. Irritatingly rough. The air around him. Irritatingly stuffy. The cat pillow staring back at him. Irritatingly creepy even though he had picked it out himself. He was aware that one of the many effects of a panic attack was an overwhelming feeling of irritation. However, being aware of one’s problems does not necessarily solve the problem in an instant. So, Virgil sat on his bed, irritated by the day’s events and irritated by the lack of control over his anxiety.

 _I should’ve just stayed in my room. Why did I have to appear in the kitchen? It’s not like a figment of someone’s need to eat. We’re figments. I’m not even real. I’m just a projection of Thomas’ innermost-_  

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Three soft knocks. Patton. Irritatingly happy.

As much as Virgil enjoyed the presence of the emotional side, his quickened pace of his breathing and enlarged eyeshadow were clear signs that he would not be able to handle any form of social interaction. Although, being the anxious side of Thomas meant that social interaction was not something he could handle everyday anyway.

“Hey kiddo. You in there?”

“ **Yeah-** ” Shit.  

“...I’m coming in. Say something if you don’t want me to.”

Irritatingly bright light poured from the entrance to Virgil’s room. He could make out a silhouette of the cardigan-clad side. _Cardigans. Why would someone put a cardigan around their shoulder? Doesn’t it get irritating? How would Patton even cook with a cardigan around him? What if it catches on fire Dowehaveafireextingui-_

“-ou alright, buddy?” _How did he get so close to my bed?_

“ **Hm?** ”

Patton gave him a perplexed look. “I asked if you were alright, kiddo. But, I can tell from your voice that you aren’t feeling like yourself, right?”

 _Hmph. Irritatingly smart too, huh?_  

Virgil gave Patton a slight nod.

“Ah shoot. Well, is there...a reason you’re feeling so anxious?”

“ **Well there is...but I don’t really wanna…** ”

“Talk about it?”

Virgil nodded.

“How about I stay here with you for a while. And when you’re feeling more comfortable, we can talk about what’s makin’ you feel so anxious.”

“ **I...guess that’s...fine. One small...request though. Can we just hang out, with** out talking?”

 _Huh. Would ya look at that?_    

With a smile that could rival the sun, Patton said, “Sure kiddo. Anything ya want.”

And so, both Patton and Virgil shifted closer and embraced the feeling of companionship.

_This is nice. That cat is nice. And this blanket. It’s really soft._

Truth be told, despite Patton’s overly cheery disposition, Virgil couldn’t deny the warmth and the constant stability he provided. 

“So, Pat.”

“Hm?”

“Why’d you come strolling through my part of the Mindscape?”

“Well, I kinda had a question to ask you but you were obviously not doing so good.”

“Ah well, I am still a bit nervous but not nervous enough for a few questions.”

“Alright, but only if you’re sure.” A quick nod. “Ok, so before I came heading to you room, I went down to the Commons and saw Logan and Roman on the floor-” **Oh no** “- and they were both shaking. I managed to calm them down and they both told me that they saw you in the kitchen while they were hyperventilating. So I decided to come up here-” **Oh fuck** “-and ask you...what happened?”

Upon feeling Virgil’s heart rate increase, Patton quickly spouted out, “I’m not angry or anything Virge. I just wanted to know what happened. I know you can’t really control your anxiety but that’s pretty much about it.”

At hearing Patton’s verbal reassurances, Virgil calmed down.  

 _Hm, guess I don’t have to die today._  

“ **We** ll,” Virgil cringed at his voice that kept alternating in pitch,”...um, you are right about me sometimes not being able to control it. I, **uh** ,was just trying to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. And well... I just felt a spike through my gut, if that makes sense.. You can probably guess from that **u** h…”

“Oh. Well, that doesn’t really explain how Roman and Logan had ended up on the floor though, kiddo.”

“Ah **we** ll. When my anxiety is at a really high point, and t **hi** s may sound a bit weird, but...it can spread...to other people.”

“Oh kiddo…”

“ **Y** eah well, you can lock me in the **b** rig now.”

“I have a better idea. You wanna know what it is? "asked Patton with a cheeky smile.

Virgil tilted his head and said, “I **g** uess…”

Virgil felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and immediately felt warmth and contentment spread through his body.

“If you feel too uncomfortable, just say the word.”

Virgil gave a slight nod.

“So I have a confession.”

“What?”  

“I’ve...never experienced anxiety-” Virgil raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes,“-well I know what happens when people experience it. And I know how to help people who suffer through anxiety attacks and whatnot but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten that spike in my system, ya know?”

“I mean, I don’t think I would know Pat.”

“Good point, kiddo. But that’s not the real reason I’m saying this. The point is that I hate that you have to suffer through only the worst of human emotions and fears while I’ve got all these other emotions to deal with. I just want to lift some of that burden from you.”

_Since when did everything get so blurry? I don’t need glasses do I?_

“Are you crying, Virge? I’m so sorry! I didn’t want that to happen!”

 _Oh wait, I’m just crying. Evidently._    

“It’s alright Pat. I’m just really glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad you’re here too, kiddo. I may not have been able to show you that before but I’ve got the rest of Thomas’ life to make you feel loved.”

“Alright, alright you sap. Stop making me tear up.” Virgil brought his arm up to wipe the tear tracks running down his face.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” said Virgil through an uncharacteristic smile on his face.

The two facets sat in silence for a few minutes before Virgil spoke up in their ongoing conversation.

“Hey Pat?”

“Hm?”

“When you said...you said that you can feel every other emotion beside anxiety. Can you tell me about them?”

“Hmm, well I can tell you about a few. Although, it is a bit difficult to explain all the emotions that’re going through my head all darn day. Ok, so I should probably start with happiness. I guess, instead of a spike, it’s a swell. It’s like a head rush caused by something Logan could probably explain better to you. Don’t _rush_ him though in trying to get an explanation. But anyway, I can’t exactly explain it, but sometimes it feels like nothing can stop you from feeling something so positive.”

“Huh, wonder what that feels like.”

“I hope we can get to that point one day kiddo.”

“Me too. But, uh, continue.”

“Ok, so I guess I can go on to sadness.”

“Hm.” Virgil had a slight frown on his face.  

Patton looked down. “Yeah, just like that.”

Virgil snickered. “Keep going.”

“Sadness, well I can imagine that you probably feel it sometimes. But, the best way I can describe it is...a cloud. The cloud is hanging above you all the time. Most people can usually escape that cloud, but for others, it’s pretty much...inescapable. I’m just glad our Thomas doesn’t have to deal with that. Although, I can’t help but feel bad for all those innocent people who have that cloud hanging above them all the time.”

“Same.”

“Hmm. Do you have any requests?”

“For what?”

“For emotions that you want explained.”

“ Oh right...well, what about anger?”

“You’ve never experienced anger?”

“Well the closest I’ve ever gotten is irritation, but, um, all that villiany bullshit I pulled off was kind of a front to get you all to listen to me.”

“First off, language. And second, I’m so sorry that we had to make you feel like you had to put on a mask to get us to listen to your suggestions. I know we’ll all try harder to understand your side of things from now on.”

“Yeah well, you’re all pretty much forgiven. But continue with that anger explanation.”

“Ah sorry kiddo, got sidetracked. But anyway, anger. I try not to let my anger get in my system too much. Between you and me, it can leave quite the burn. Don’t want to be _caught in the crossfire_ , ya know?” A groan could be heard from the anxious side and a giggle form the emotional side.

“Ok ok, but really. Anger usually feels like a fire is burning in your gut and the only way to cool it down is to, basically, let it out. Although from my experience, it feels good for about five seconds.”

“That doesn’t sound so good.”

“That’s why I try to control that anger. So no one around me gets caught in that crossfire.”

“That’s...really kind of you Pat.”

“Well, I do try, kiddo.”

Another moment of comfortable silence.

“Uh, Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for coming up here. I don’t think I would’ve felt any better if you hadn’t come up here.”

“It’s the least I could do. After all, I could tell you were on the... _virge of a nervous breakdown_.”

“You know what? I change my mind,” said Virgil with a deadpan expression on his face. Although, he could not deny the slight amusement he felt from Patton’s ridiculousness.

“You can’t stop me, kiddo.”

“I’m well aware.”

“One final question?”

“I’m all ears kiddo.” He pulled out a plastic ear from his pocket and positioned it onto his face.

“Where’s a baseball bat when you need it?”

“Ok, ok, I’ll stop...for a little while. Go ahead.” He put the plastic ear back into his pocket filled with other objects that usually aids him in his pun making escapades.

“...ok. Thanks.”

“Your welcome, kiddo.”

“Ok so...can anything be caught on fire in the mindscape?”

“Well, it definitely can. But everything in here is imaginary. Us. Our conversations. Our capabilities. So the fire can’t hurt anybody, if that was what you were wondering. Why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to make sure.”

“Well, I’m not gonna pry, but I’m glad I could be of assistance.”

“Alright, I really did appreciate all of this, but I kinda have to go apologize to Logan and Roman so…”

“Oh yeah, of course.” Patton let go of Virgil and brought his arms back to his sides.

Virgil got up and stretched out his stiff limbs due to being in the same position for so long.  

“Just so you know, if I’m not in my room, the anxiety level usually increases.”

“I should take my leave then.” Patton, as well, stood up and started to head for the door.

Light from the hallway once again poured into his room. Patton hesitated for a moment. “Oh, and kiddo?”

“Hm?”

“I know I’m not the best at understanding anxiety, but if you ever need help or just a really long hug, I’m always there for ya, kiddo.”

Virgil found that his mouth had stretched more in that particular moment than it ever had in his life.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind Pat.”

   

  


   

   

  
  



End file.
